READ: 2 Samuel 19:9 – 20:26
Absalom may be dead, but
David’s trials are not over. The whole nation wants to reinstate David as king,
but what should be a unifying act becomes a point of greater division. The
tribe of Judah rises up to bring David across the Jordan and back to his palace
in Jerusalem. On the way, those who had shamed and tricked David come crawling
back, begging for mercy. While it was in David’s power to have these traitors
killed, he shows compassion. We also see an intimate bond of friendship between
David and Barzillai, an old man who aided him while he sought refuge from
Absalom in Mahanaim. The two say goodbye, knowing this is likely the last time
they will ever see each other. David wants so much to bless the man who blessed
him. David’s own experiences and adventures have given him a great
understanding of mercy, friendship and the sovereignty of God.
Along with these, David also
understands consequences as he continues to feel the weight of his sin through
the fulfillment of the prophecy that the sword would never depart from his
house. What a terrible consequence – one that gravely altered the nation’s
future. David’s heart of worship brought about the prophecy of salvation – the
promise of an everlasting dynasty; his heart of self-worship brought about the prophecy of sin – the constant
sword. Yet, in God’s mercy, the first and greater promise remained! If only
David could have received the first promise without the burden of the second.
But this is the nature of sin – it brings brokenness, pain to us and others,
and spiritual death. Christ has bridged the gap of separation and conquered
eternal death; He can even bring reconciliation and redemption to
relationships; but the sting of sin remains very felt on this earth. And, as
Adam and Eve were given a blessed hope after they fell but were still cast from
the Garden and cursed with toil and pain, David was blessed with a promise of prospective peace but of proximate pain.
“Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because
you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your
wife.” David’s daughter has been raped, and two sons murdered. And now the
hostility spreads out and civil unrest begins again. The men of the northern
tribes are extremely offended that David and the men of Judah did not wait for
them to join the procession in bringing David back to Jerusalem. They feel that
the tribe of Judah has been given special treatment. Just when peace seemed
inevitable, an uprising breaks out under the leadership of a worthless man
named Sheba. Initially, much of Israel follows him, though the group seems to simmer
down to comprise only his own clan. David’s response is much different than his
earlier response to Absalom. When his son rose up against him, David didn’t put
up a fight; instead, he slunk out of Jerusalem and hid out until battle was
necessary for self-defense. Here we see a much more kingly response as David
sends Amasa to rally the troops. Amasa had replaced Joab as commander of
David’s army (19:3), likely because Joab had ignored David’s request to deal
gently with Absalom. However, Joab would not give up his position so easily. He
kills Amasa and regains command. Sheba’s rebellion soon loses most of its
support and is easily put to rest at the intervention of a wise woman from the
city of Abel.
David’s life is certainly not
going as expected. As a young shepherd boy, when Samuel anointed him as the
next king of Israel, David must have been both afraid and excited. We see
something similar in the Christmas story. An angel appears to Mary telling her
that she will give birth to the Messiah – a wonderful and terrifying prophecy!
Wonderful because she gets to be an integral part of God’s salvation plan;
terrifying because the Messiah will overthrow kingdoms, which is essentially an
act of treason. As Jesus grew, a perfect child, did Mary suspect the agonizing
death that was to come? And as David grew in skill and popularity throughout
Israel, did he expect the bloodshed, sorrow and mess that would come? Even
within the wonders of God’s promises and under the protection of His blood, we
will experience disappointment in our lives. Every day, news headlines and
personal struggles remind us that we are not living in the Kingdom of God. BUT
GOD! Because He reached His hands into the dirty mess of the world, we know
with calm assurance that His kingdom is
coming. He is coming, our Lord is
coming back. And so, we cry out along with the apostle John and the millions of
Christians who have gone before us: “Come,
Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). This is not a cry of hope, but of faith; we
are SURE of what we hope for, and
CERTAIN of what we do not yet see because
He has already testified: “Surely, I am
coming soon.”
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. In
what ways were your expectations dashed, or unmet, this past year? Give your
disappointment over to God. Thank Him that He is your King, and that His
promises of joy and blessing for your life still
remain. Ask Him to speak specifically into your disappointments; what does
He want to say?
2. Ask
God what it means to have a “kingdom perspective.” Ask Him to give you a
kingdom perspective. Ask Him to show you where you are too focused on things
that are not of His kingdom. Are you
willing to lay those things to rest?
3. Ask
God to prepare you for His coming. Ask God to prepare your family for His
coming. Ask Him to prepare His church for His coming. Spend a good amount of
time in prayer for these things. And pray the prayer of Revelation 22:20: “Come, Lord Jesus!”
